Birds Breeding Within the Limits of the City of New York 



{Concluded) 



By John Lewis Childs 



Note — In concluding this series of notes on the " Birds Breeding Within the Limits of the City of 

 New York," I wish to say that I have confined my remarks wholly to species that have come under my 

 personal observation. I am aware that there are a few more species that breed to a more or less extent 

 within the citv limits and of these I hope to have something to say at some future time. Strange as it 

 mav seem. I have never observed the Bluebird {Sialia sialis) breeding within the city limits, or even 

 in Nassau County. Yet it undoubtedly does breed here to some extent. There are also records of the 

 Redbird (Cardinalis cardinalis) breeding in Central Park. It is more than likely that the Woodcock, 

 Clapper Rail, Sharp-tailed and Seaside Sparrows, Chickadee and Tufted Titmouse breed within the 

 city limits, and probably half a dozen more species not referred to. 



European Goldfinch 



[Carduelis carduelis) 



THE beautiful European Goldfinch has been introduced in Central Park, 

 New York, by importation made some years ago. While the bird has 

 not increased rapidly it has, nevertheless, made a steady gain and is now 

 well established in all the upper districts of the City. I have not been so 

 fortunate as to see one on Long Island as yet, but a portion of a wing left by 

 a neighbor's cat that had just devoured a bird indicates that this species has 

 visited us once, at least, and met an untimely end. 



Red-Winged Blackbird 



(Agelaius phceniceus) 



TO my mind there is no more beautiful bird in and about New York City 

 than the Red-winged Blackbird. A bird of striking beauty in plumage, 

 with rotes that are equally pleasing, he is at once an ornament to the land- 

 scape and a part of wild nature that would be sadly missed. As he inhabits 

 fresh water marshes, meadows and favorable sections along water courses, 

 the situations that suit his taste are not abundant within the City limits. 

 There are, however, some swamps in the 2nd Ward of the Borough of Queens 

 where the right conditions prevail, and as these swamps have a considerable 

 area a few pairs of Red-wings find nesting sites sufficiently remote from 



